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Pile on the layers and warm up the cider because all signs point to autumn! Being the first official weekend of the season, it's the perfect moment to watch the leaves change, indulge in seasonal treats or cozy up on the couch, there are plenty of options to choose from. The city of Kingston truly came alive this past weekend as you saw folks exploring the local scene and enjoying the wonderful sunny weather we had. Though there was a slight breeze in the air, it was also the perfect opportunity to pull out my quilted vest out of the closet!

Chilifest

The weekend started out with a traditional homemade brunch with my foodie partner-in-crime before I headed off to the annual Chilifest event in downtown Kingston! It featured local restauranteurs and chefs showing off their skills and competing in some friendly rivalry. Obviously as a foodie I simply had to attend but the best part was being invited as a judge this year. Boy was it a tough role but well worth all the chilly sampling as a winner was chosen (stay tuned!) and I was joined by the lovely Jessica of Explore YGK.

Seriously City Hall always looks top notch!

Farmers' Market

After tasting oodles and oodles of unique chillis, I had to walk it off by strolling through the farmers' market located just a block up the street. There was chatter, music and laughs to be heard as well as smiles to be seen by vendors and visitors a like. This was the first time in a few weeks that I had ventured downtown on the weekend - for my own sanity I usually stay clear of busy crowds and simply unwind at home or go on road trips to neighbouring cities.

Also the farmers' market is filled with insta moments!

And more strolling as I left busy downtown Kingston while admiring the architecture of near by buildings. I may have a slight obsession.

The Union Gallery at Queen's University

What better way to pass some time than visiting a local art gallery? Kingston is filled with hidden gems and has several rotating exhibits all of which are quite unique in their own way. The Union Gallery is one of many and this season, a different setting took over the space. Emily Jan, a Montréal-based artist and writer, created a life-sized tablescape depicting the 17th century Dutch still-life painting. If you want something untraditional yet traditional, this is your cup of tea. I found it rather intriguing and unexpected especially when you get up close (you'll just have to go visit!).

Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre

After popping by Queen's University campus (also my alma mater!) I headed down the road to the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning - a community art space that holds Juniper Cafe and its waterfront patio (seriously best breakfast sandwiches in town!). With the foodie stuff aside, it is also home to the Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre - the main gallery presented an exhibition of works by Hyang Cho. Though quite minimalistic at first glance with neutral colours, it was fascinating to see the interplay between language and how it's explored in sound, installation, text and works on paper.

Afternoon Tea

The weekend ended on a high note when I attended an afternoon tea party at the lovely Toast & Jam in support of breast cancer where I was joined with fabulous company - Jessica of Explore YGK and Melissa of Improbable Escapes. The event pulled inspiration from Downtown Abbey with ladies dressed in their Sunday best as well as sweet and savoury dining options waiting to be devoured. How pretty are these cakes?

Connection. Conversation. Collaboration.

These three words perfectly summed up BlogPodium 2016 - an event that brought together lovely bloggers and creative gals from across Canada. This past weekend's event was truly filled with inspiration. I had the wonderful pleasure of listening to women who dominate in their niche and whom shared their expertise and guidance. From tips and tricks on how to grow partnerships with brands you love to learning how to get paid what you're worth to SEO strategies - BlogPodium was the spot to be!

The day couldn't have started on a better note as Alyssa Garrison of Random Acts of Pastel chatted all about building your brand through Instagram. But please take a second to visit her page - it's so visually appealing and simply makes you smile! The highlight of her workshop was when she stated that as smartphones are essentially our bffs now days, we need to make a point to get to know them better and get nitty gritty. A neat trick that Alyssa shared with the group was to wipe your lens - simple enough right? Yet who would have thought that this makes a difference and trust me it does!

The keynote speaker Tiffany Pratt was full of wise words filled with great sentiment and quite the vibrant personality. Her takeaways were profound and honestly had more to do with you as a person than the practicalities of blogging:

1. You Are Who You Are

This couldn't have been said enough times - being authentic was the number one piece of advice given. With a plethora of blogs in the world, people admire individuality and want to see the real thing as you are your brand. So be proud of who you are, find your secret sauce and rock it! If you love what you do, then that will shine through your work. Tiffany summed it up perfectly that you don't need the best of everything to create magical beauty and that you live your life by your own design - so emit you own frequency and don't be afraid to shake things up.

2. Making It Work

Success doesn't happen overnight - it takes persistence and tenacity to get your foot in the door. But patience is the holy grail of hustling to get your way in the blogsphere. You can't be afraid to go the extra mile and while there's lots of ugly, you also need to also find a middle ground that will allow for work life balance. Trust me - juggling a day job, freelance writing, blogging and the list goes on, I have found my happy medium that keeps me sane yet I love it all. You need to work hard to play hard - no blogger woke up one day and instantly got invited to glamourous events. They worked their butts off to get to where they are today!

3. Sharing The Love

This is probably the biggest takeaway of all. Boys and girls, that means getting off your high horse and stepping away from negativity - no competition, no agenda and pardon my language, no freakin' bullshit. Comparison is noise - rather find your tribe and build a support system of like-minded gals who have your back. Spread the awesomeness!

"Negativity does not come my way. Because I don't give it. I don't say shit about shit. Watch what you give, 'cause that's what you'll get." - Tiffany Pratt

A big fabulous thank you to the organizers and sponsors for all your hard work!

Kingston truly comes alive every September with the return of students but it also marks the arrival of fall and all its sweet delights. I relish being in a constant adventure in my own backyard and this weekend was filled with excitement especially for a foodie. From usual weekend traditions to attending annual events, here's a snapshot of my weekend:

Celtic Kitchen Party

The weekend commenced at Fort Henry's first-ever Celtic Kitchen Party to wrap up the summer season in style. It was the perfect spot to gather together on a Saturday afternoon with friends and family to enjoy great music, indulge in savoury food and soak up Celtic culture and traditions. While the tunes were playing, I sampled appetizing meals from food vendor Tulips & Maple and my oh my was is darn good - I had traditional Scotch Eggs and the meal ended with a bang when I received a plate of Guinness beef brisket.

Memorial Centre Farmers' Market

As per Sunday traditions, my foodie partner-in-crime and I headed to the market for our usual order of sweet potato bread, steamed buns, apple cider and sausages. After having missed two weekends due to vacation - it was nice to come back to reality to such community feel. The highlight was meeting a fellow Kingstonian in real life after years of connecting on social media!

Kingston Multicultural Arts Festival

The vibrant waterfront was bustling with live music and performances this past Sunday down at Confederation Park as Kingston celebrated the sights, sounds, aromas and flavours of its multicultural and diverse community. This was an event that I was highly proud in attending as it brought out my sense of pride for my Indian background.

Kingston Ribfest

It's hard to believe that this was my fourth consecutive year attending Ribfest since its inception but then again who can resist the sweet smell of Ribs. It was an all ages affair with kiddos running around to adults enjoyed sips of beer, funnel cake and licking their bbq sauced fingers.

While it's sad to see summer depart, there's something magical about fall that has me looking forward to change. Between the pumpkin spice lattes, cozying up by the fire, and snuggling up next to my sweetheart sipping on warm apple cider, there's not much I don't like. But of course there is quite a variety for food lovers to eagerly anticipate about the cooler season ahead.

To celebrate this beautiful season, vow to take full advantage and enjoy all the foods the season has to offer by crossing items from this fall foodie bucket list. Get started as soon as you can because we might not want to hear it, but we know it's true - winter is coming.

2. Go Apple Picking

Apples are the quintessential fruit of fall - roast them, bake them or simply eat them raw. Sure, you can buy apples in a store. But nothing says fall like picking your own apples right off the tree. What better way to enjoy a fall day than getting the family or friends out of the house and into the country. Besides, is there anything more delicious than taking a bite from a perfectly luscious apple plucked right from the tree? I certainly don't think so!

3. Sip Apple Cider

With the changing leaves and the crisp autumn air, it's time to fully embrace the season with another delightful warm beverage - apple cider. Spicy, tart and refreshing, apple cider hits on all the right fall notes. Whether it be homemade or from your local farmers market, sit back, relax and welcome fall with open arms.

4. Spice it up with Pumpkin

Whether it is sweet pumpkin pie or a savoury pumpkin mac n cheese, adding pumpkin to one of your favourite dishes this fall will give it that extra hint of warmth and flavour. Pumpkin is one of those things that just keeps giving this time of year - perhaps because here's no end to what you can make. If your dish has pumpkin, it's sure to be a hit! From breakfast to dessert and everything in between, the options for recipes are endless and will certainly have your kitchen smelling like fall!

5. Get to the Root

Either the star of the dish or a side, root vegetables are a prerequisite when cooking up a storm this fall. Mashed, roasted or raw, root vegetables are tasty and nutritious. Whether it be potatoes, onions, carrots, butternut squash, or beets - these satisfying beauties can be transformed into delicious dishes!

[name=Rosalyn Gambhir]
[img=http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n543/Rosalyn_Gambhir/Rosalyn_1.jpg]
[description=Rosalyn Gambhir is the gal behind the blog The Staycationer. Whether its exploring the local food scene with her foodie partner-in-crime or taking in the view from her favourite cafe, Rosalyn is always a tourist, looking for the next exciting adventure. The Staycationer allows you to rediscover hidden gems in your very own backyard.]
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Meet Rosalyn

Welcome to The Staycationer where I play tourist and am always on the look out for the next exciting adventure to share.